Understanding Our Mechanism of Action

Our Science

Leading BioSciences is solving a range of serious and widespread medical conditions through its understanding of gastrointestinal health.

LB1148: Understanding Our Mechanism of Action

The small intestine houses potent digestive enzymes that break down the food we eat. The wall of the small intestine, known as the mucosal barrier, ensures that these digestive enzymes stay where they belong. Under normal, healthy conditions, this gut barrier remains intact and enzymes remain within the intestine.

During periods of low blood pressure, such as after a traumatic injury or surgery, the mucosal barrier can become compromised. Its tight junctions open up, allowing powerful digestive enzymes to escape and indiscriminately damage internal organs. This can result in multiple organ failure or cause dangerous scar tissue to form, which initiates other serious health conditions.

When the small intestine’s mucosal barrier is compromised, enzymes, bacteria and chemicals can escape into the body. In critical-care situations, this can lead to multiple-organ failure or cause dangerous scar tissue to form. Leakage also can influence a range of chronic health conditions, from diabetes to autism.

Our Approach

Leading BioSciences was founded in 2005 based on research at University of California, San Diego and University of California, Irvine, and discoveries which were supported by more than

$22,000,000

in funding from National Institutes of Health.

Our Lead Drug Candidate

Our most advanced therapeutic candidate, LB1148, is a small-molecule therapeutic administered straight to the patient’s stomach and intestine, inhibiting digestive enzymes that can damage internal organs when the mucosal barrier is compromised. Our proprietary approach is designed to treat widespread conditions, including surgical complications, many forms of shock and multiple organ failure.

Gastrobiome™ Solutions

Leading Biosciences has a growing body of preclinical work demonstrating that the entire ecosystem of the gastrointestinal tract, including, barriers, tissues, mucus, mucin, nutrients, food and communities of microorganisms in our GI tract—and particularly in the small intestine—influence chronic health conditions ranging from diabetes and hypertension to autism. We are developing novel therapies and diagnostic technologies to help treat these conditions from a pharmacological perspective.